"At this point, we don't see that there's a great upside to switching to a private contractor," Jiron said.

Jiron said the Sunport has one of the best checkpoints in the country, and the airport doesn't want to change that by bringing in private security.

The TSA said they would still have oversight over private screeners if the Sunport opted out of their screeners.

"The only difference is who pays them. They're not federal employees, everything else remains the same," Luis Casanova with the TSA's South Central Region said. "The private contractors must have the same level of security that has been established by the TSA and TSA regulations."

There are 16 airports in the country that have chosen to opt out of TSA security.

Kansas City Airport has been using a private security company for years.

"We have continued to opt out, every 5 years," Director of Aviation Mark VanLoh said.

KCI was one of the original five airports after Sept. 11 to opt out of TSA security screeners and sign on with a private security company called First Line.

"They do a much better job for us, and it's evident that every year we win the JD Power award for most passenger friendly airport in the United States," VanLoh said.

VanLoh wouldn't say the exact cost for the private screeners at the Kansas City Airport, but he did say that it is a cost saver.

"Studies have shown us that this type of operation is much more efficient, so it's saving the government money. They're just able to move their people around, part time help is a big factor, and this seems that they are able to do it in a much more efficient manner," he said.

VanLoh said private screeners still conduct the same security measures as TSA, and are supervised by TSA.

He said the Kansas City airport has signed two five-year private security contracts.

The Albuquerque city council could vote as early as Dec. 20 to do the same.